The mental health nonprofit leadership at Interim, Inc. includes board members and senior leaders who guide the organization’s mission, strategy, and community impact.
Board Members
Interim is governed by a Board of Directors of up to 15 members, each serving a three-year term with the possibility of reappointment. Our Board is comprised of individuals from diverse professional and personal backgrounds—including family members, mental health professionals, housing experts, law enforcement, and healthcare providers—who share a common commitment to supporting individuals with mental illness and advocating for wellness, recovery, and affordable housing.
If you or someone you know is passionate about Interim’s mission and interested in learning more about Board membership, please contact the Development Office at (831) 649-4522, ext 205, or email [email protected].
Alan Stumpf
President - Retired Planner
Board Member Alan Stumpf retired in 2016 after working for 29 years with the City of Salinas’ Community Development and Redevelopment Departments. He joined the Interim Board the same year. Over the years, Interim had developed several housing projects in Salinas. Alan was impressed by the quality of Interim’s building projects and many services.
John Stafsnes
Vice president - Retired from Chevron Corporation
John worked in the maritime industry for over 35 years, retiring from Chevron Corporation in 2002. He currently resides in Carmel Valley with his spouse, Iathan, where they operate a private-label vineyard. Previously, John served on the Interim Board for 12 years, including four years as its president. After a one-year sabbatical, he is returning to the board in 2025.
John Swendseid
Board Treasurer - Retired attorney, public Finance
John was a public finance lawyer in Colorado and Nevada during his career. He relocated to the Monterey area in 2017 and enjoys pursuing activities in retirement that involve giving back to the community. John believes INTERIM serves a vital role in assisting and providing housing for people who are in need. He joined the INTERIM Board in 2024.
Diana Rosenthal
BOARD SECRETARY - Retired Deputy District Attorney
Diana Rosenthal is a retired attorney. She was aware of the challenges for adults with mental illness when she came to the area and was delighted to find an agency that provided needed housing, services and programs for this population. She started volunteering fifteen years ago with Interim fundraisers and joined the Board in 2006. After a one-year hiatus, she has returned to serve again on the Board of Directors, with pleasure.
Fran Baca
MEMBER- CPA
Frances C. Baca, CPA has been in public accounting for thirty years. She currently works for Tostevin Accountancy Corp. in Monterey. Fran served on the Interim Board of Directors from 2014-2016, took a leave from the Board during 2017 and rejoined the Board effective January 2018.
Lynna Hilts
Member - LMFT, SUpervisor, ED-Mental Health Unit Psych Team, Natividad Hospital
Lynna is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and the Supervisor for the ED-MHU Psych Team at Natividad Hospital. With 17 years of mental health experience, she has been on the Psych Team for 10 years. Lynna enjoys the pace and challenge of hospital MHU-ED Psych work and appreciates Interim, Inc.’s unique services and the manner in which they are offered for those who suffer from a serious mental illness in our community.
Claudia Kostyshak
Member - Retired Retail Management
Claudia moved to the Monterey Peninsula about 40 years ago. In 2013, after a long career in retail management, she retired to help care for her aging parents and her son. While supporting her son through his mental health challenges, she became aware of Interim and the important services it provides to the community. Since then, she and her husband, Geoff, have been dedicated supporters of Interim.
Deb Linden
Member- Retired Chief of Police
Deb retired from the City of San Luis Obispo’s Police Department after 9 years as Chief of Police. As Chief of Police, Deb had a long relationship with Transitions Mental Health Services in San Luis Obispo. Deb is now bringing her vast experience in community relations and public safety, along with public speaking, teaching, and running both live and virtual events to support Interim’s mission.
Stephen Lundin
Member - Pastor, United Methodist Church, Retired
Retired in July of 2024 after 41 years as a Pastor in the United Methodist Church. The last nine of those years, Steve was the Pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Salinas. That church had a large outreach with the unhoused population in Salinas. They partnered with Interim to have case workers at the church and library next door 5 days a week.Steve is a big believer in community partnerships between faith based organizations and nonprofits doing the work of serving human need and working for the common good. Steve is married to Karla, the pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Wayfarer in Carmel.
Marisol Mendez
Member - Assistant District Attorney, Monterey County District Attorney's Office
Marisol is currently part of the Executive Management Team at the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office and serves as an Assistant District Attorney where she supervises eight prosecution units with several of those units presenting unique issues involving the intersection of the mental health and criminal justice systems.
Carl Miller
Member - Retired Chief of Police for Pacific Grove
Board Member Carl Miller is a retired Chief of Police for Pacific Grove and has been on the Interim Board since 2008. Carl has held several positions including Board President for multiple years. Carl and his family have first hand experience with a loved one with mental illness and have been generous supporters of Interim for many years.
Eva Montes-Portis
Member - Medical Social Worker, Satellite Healthcare in Watsonville
Eva Montes-Portis joined Interim’s Board of Directors in July 2021. She served one-year as an Intern Case Manager at Interim, from June 2012 to May 2013. “I really enjoyed the work there, and I wanted to give back.”, said Eva. She holds a Masters in Social Work with an emphasis in Behavioral Health from CSUMB. Eva is currently works part-time as a Medical Social Worker at Satellite HealthCare in Watsonville, which specializes in dialysis care, allowing her time devote to her family.
Mark Shaw
Member - Vice President of Markon Inc.
Mark is a resident of Salinas and the Vice President of Markon Inc., a fresh produce purchasing cooperative that sells to U.S. and Canadian broadline distributors, which supply restaurants, businesses, schools, and more. Having had a family member with a mental health diagnosis, Shaw feels the desire to help others in similar circumstances.
Arthur Turqueza, LMFT
Member - Licensed Psychotherapist
Arthur is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. He has worked for multiple Bay Area and Peninsula recovery facilities that specialize in drug and alcohol recovery and the treatment of eating disorders.
Management Team
People are the foundation of what we do. Because of that, we have been able to attract qualified, dedicated, passionate staff. Our Management team is comprised of experienced leaders, committed to our vision of a world in which people with mental illness are able to live, work and participate fully in the community.
Dr. Rhiyan Quiton, PsyD
Executive Director
Dr. Quiton is a licensed psychologist and has over 20 years’ experience in the behavioral health field. He has worked as a manager in the public behavioral health systems in both Kern and Monterey counties. Dr. Q has led collaborative efforts that helped to improve the criminal justice and behavioral health systems in both counties. He has extensive experience providing direct service, supervision, training, and administrative management in various public, and private settings.
Carmen Torres-Alfaro, MFT
Deputy Director
With over 21 years of experience in the mental health field, Torres-Alfaro joined Interim, Inc. in 2001 after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley with a dual bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare and Psychology. She has worked throughout the agency in multiple positions of senior program leadership, gaining extensive knowledge of our agency programs and the local Behavioral Health system. While working with Interim, Torres-Alfaro obtained her master’s degree in 2011 in Counseling Psychology and a clinical license as a Marriage and Family Therapist in 2018.
Brad Hughes
Director of Finance
Brad joined Interim in January 2024 and oversees the finance and accounting functions of the agency. He came to Interim with over 21 years of experience in various finance and accounting management capacities. He has worked in numerous functional areas, including public accounting, corporate finance, financial reporting, and operations. Brad is a Certified Public Accountant with Masters degrees in Business Administration and Real Estate from the University of Washington and a Bachelors degree in Business Economics from UCLA.
Alejandro (Alex) Amezcua
Housing Development & Property Director
Alex was promoted in February 2018 to Housing Development and Property Director after serving in the agency’s Finance and Accounting Department since 2007. His strong background in finance and accounting give him a good foundation for the complex fiscal aspects of the position, which include overseeing our capital projects, as well as the Housing Management and Maintenance Departments. Alex holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration with a Concentration in Finance from the California State University of Long Beach. He is also a graduate of the Community Foundation for Monterey County’s LEAD program.
Sophie Y., MPA
Compliance & Business Development Director
Sophie began working at Interim as the Grants & Contracts Manager in January 2015. She was promoted to Compliance & Business Development Director in 2022. Sophie manages the development department, all governmental contracts, and oversees all other revenue streams. In collaboration with the ED, she is also responsible for risk management for the agency. Sophie received her B.A. at Brandeis University, and her MPA at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS).
Darrin Noel
IT Director
Darrin Joined Interim in October 2020 and manages IT Operations, Infrastructure, and HIPPA Security Compliance at the agency. He brings over 25 years of experience in a variety of information technology disciplines. Darrin has his B.S. in Telecommunications, Multimedia, and Applied Computing from CSU Monterey Bay.
Janet Ortega
Human Resources Director
Janet Ortega was hired in February 2018 as Interim’s Human Resources Director. She has over a decade of experience in human resources, managing a wide variety of human resources programs and functions for private for-profit business. Janet holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from California State University, Sacramento. She is a candidate for Professional Human Resources California Certification, Spring 2018.
Jocelyn Brady
Development Officer
Jocelyn Brady has over fifteen years of experience working for numerous local non-profits, which includes over a decade of experience in grant writing, fundraising and development. Jocelyn is a graduate of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MBA – International Policy Studies) and the Fisher Graduate School of International Business (MBA – International Management).